As I write this, politicians in Washington, DC are fighting over tax breaks for businesses, millionaires/billionaires, large corporations. Everyone, Democrat and Republican, are trying to show the other side who has more power. There are politicians who claim to be "Christian" and use that as an excuse to vote against any program they do not like. At the same time, there are thousands - thousands - of children dying in SUDAN and SOMOLIA, East Africa. Why? Because they have no food. There are thousands, hundreds of thousands, of children in our own country who do not get enough nutrition everyday because they do not have enough healthy food to eat. Yet, the politicians in Washington are MORE concerned about their "power games" than they are about children dying around the world from starvation. The readings from the Bible at Mass this weekend(7/31) certainly tells us what God considers important!
The first reading (Isaiah 55:1-3) begins with these words, "The Lord says, 'All who are thirsty, come to the water! You who are poor, come and eat! Even if you have no money, drink wine and milk!'" Psalm 145 follows with this reminder, "The hand of the Lord feeds us; God answers all our needs." In the Gospel (Matthew 14:13-21), Jesus is concerned with the people who are hungry and need something to eat. This reading reminds us of the famous talk Jesus gives just before he dies, Matthew 25:31-46, "when I was hungry, you fed me; when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink."
While the children of the world are starving to death, the politicians in Washington, DC, are worrying about getting re-elected in 2012. Do these people actually think that God does not care about the hungry people of our world? Do these people "of power" believe that God will ignore the cries and pains of dying children, and not be angry? Do the people in the Congress and the White House think that God will forget that people who could save the lives of children, worried more about saving their jobs? Do the politicians who claim to be "Christian" realize that when they die, God will remind them of Matthew 25: 41-46, and their failure to do what Jesus told them they must do?
In Matthew 19:16-23, Jesus tells us that using your wealth to help the poor is THE surest sign that someone is a TRUE follower of Jesus Christ. In the deaf community of St. Francis Borgia Deaf Center, each month we take up a collection for the deaf children of Haiti who are still suffering because of the earthquake. So far, our deaf community has contributed over $2,000 to help feed and clothe these deaf children. We do this because we believe in the words of Jesus, "I was hungry, and you fed me." Recently, I saw a story on tv about certain celebrity weddings. The people were talking about the tens of thousands of dollars being spent on these weddings (even though many of these weddings end up in divorce). About three months ago, I attended a wedding of a young couple whose family I have knwon for many years. At the wedding reception, there was little card at each seat. The card explained that this coulple made a decision. They decided NOT to waste money on fancy items to give out as wedding souvenirs. Instead, the couple used that money to make a donation to an organization that feeds poor children around the world. The couple wrote on the card that they wanted to share their special day with those who had little or nothing to eat.
God will remember those who tried to do something to feed the children of our world,.....and those who did nothing.